Your thoughts on '3 fouling' your way to victory?
- Thread starter smiling_Hans
- Start date
1,000% correct.
Many players think the object of the game is to run out.
The object of the game is to win the game, any way possible.
Once a player discovers this fact their game jumps up immediately.
I know this thread is about 3 foul and rotation but it can be apllied to 8 ball also.
Nothing worse in 8 ball than to run out to one ball of your chosen suit on the table and the 8.
A surefire way to get into trouble.
Yes!
The first thing I tell newer players is that the object of the game is not to make balls.
The object of the game is to win…
In eight ball, I tell them to think of their balls as their soldiers. They can't fight for you if they're dead.
This topic lands proverbial in my wheelhouse. My first tournament victory came through my employing the 3 foul rule.
Must have been in the early '80s. I had purchased and studied a 1978 BCA rule book. At that time 3 fouls applied to 8 ball. The tournament was my first in the Tacoma area and I made it to the finals against Rhinestone Ray. So Ray broke and ran to the 8 ball which he missed but parked it square in front of a corner pocket so that a couple of my balls were blocked. My first shot was a weak safety that didn't really help my situation but didn't leave much. He picked up the cueball and scoffing handed it to me. The wheels in my head started turning and I took the opportunity move one of my balls to a spot that would provide a good lock down safety with ball in hand if offered one more time. The second safety was similar to the first and got the same response. The smirk and jeering comment was priceless. He handed me the cueball and I turned to the tournament director who had announced BCA rules at the start of tournament. I enquired if the 3 foul rule was in effect. His yes reply was musical.
My 3rd safety wasn't lock down but it was adequate. Ray had good skills and wanted to bet $100 that he could hit the 8 this time. I declined the bet, then he went 3 rails to hit the 8 ball and go in off to scratch in the corner. My first tournament victory paid in the neighborhood of $50, I spent $75 celebrating. 
Must have been in the early '80s. I had purchased and studied a 1978 BCA rule book. At that time 3 fouls applied to 8 ball. The tournament was my first in the Tacoma area and I made it to the finals against Rhinestone Ray. So Ray broke and ran to the 8 ball which he missed but parked it square in front of a corner pocket so that a couple of my balls were blocked. My first shot was a weak safety that didn't really help my situation but didn't leave much. He picked up the cueball and scoffing handed it to me. The wheels in my head started turning and I took the opportunity move one of my balls to a spot that would provide a good lock down safety with ball in hand if offered one more time. The second safety was similar to the first and got the same response. The smirk and jeering comment was priceless. He handed me the cueball and I turned to the tournament director who had announced BCA rules at the start of tournament. I enquired if the 3 foul rule was in effect. His yes reply was musical.
My 3rd safety wasn't lock down but it was adequate. Ray had good skills and wanted to bet $100 that he could hit the 8 this time. I declined the bet, then he went 3 rails to hit the 8 ball and go in off to scratch in the corner. My first tournament victory paid in the neighborhood of $50, I spent $75 celebrating.
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The great thing about playing safe when playing "bar room" rules is you can hit your opponents ball by "mistake" with no penalty
Literally the best way to win any rack. Nothing more gratifying then punishing someone with their own ineptitude, especially in this day and age of jump stick tech. Only better thing than 3-fouling someone, is to do it multiple times within the same set.
Absolutely nothing "nitty" about playing within the rules, and providing life lessons to players at the same time.
I always look for the path to get that second foul, unless the rack is dead easy. The first foul doesn't need to happen after the break. The seasoned player will take that BIH and use it to open clusters and leave the OB in a spot for another easy 3rd foul.
Absolutely nothing "nitty" about playing within the rules, and providing life lessons to players at the same time.
I always look for the path to get that second foul, unless the rack is dead easy. The first foul doesn't need to happen after the break. The seasoned player will take that BIH and use it to open clusters and leave the OB in a spot for another easy 3rd foul.
I like pocketing their hanging aces. I used to argue vehemently about ball in hand and call ball and pocket only but now thanks to leagues, most denizens are familiar with the rules. If the table holder insists on "in the kitchen", I now use whatever the available chicken shit moves BIH would've prevented. They see quickly how remedial their strategy is.The great thing about playing safe when playing "bar room" rules is you can hit your opponents ball by "mistake" with no penalty
Oh it’s within the rules, so is hitting the object ball at warp speed on every shot attempting the crap in the 9 ball.
Seasoned players rarely do either of these things. Occasionally you will see an elite player attempt to 3 foul an opponent if say that opponent scratched on the break and then missed a kick out of safety to land him on 2 fouls, but you never see an elite player set out with the strategy to 3 foul their opponent as they come to the table any more than you see them constantly trying to “ride the 9” on every shot. These aren’t the things seasoned players do. These methods are refuge of rank amateurs & nits.
and it's fun !!!!!!!!!!!!
We clearly run at different levels.
Equating the fore thought and skill required to 3 foul >650 player to riding the 9, paints a pretty obvious portrait of your game.
That said, we're all entitled to our opinions. I'm sure yours is merely the product of your experiences. (Dunning Kruger)
Where did the skill level to 3 foul someone come into the subject? I just felt a little disgusted reading your post that you so gleefully regaled everyone with on your thoughts. You spoke of “seasoned players” and my comment stands in that seasoned players don’t come to the table with that strategy anymore than they do to ride the 9, those are the strategy’s of amateurs and nits, not seasoned players. Frankly your fascination with it reveals a lot about your game kid.
Well?
The first safety by Efren in the first 3 foul victory demonstrated the creation of the trap. The warning of the opponent on 2 fouls is Required.
Guess we differ on that. If someone scratches on the break, and I get BIH or BIH behind the headstring, I'm trying to run out.
It takes "an elite player" to 3 foul another elite player.
seasoned players do what is needed to win that gives them the best chance of it. the smart ones that is.
smart players that are playing someone much better will ride the nine, when they get a chance the times when they know they cant get out.
that is smart pool and playing to win using what will give you the best chance.
smart players that are playing someone much better will ride the nine, when they get a chance the times when they know they cant get out.
that is smart pool and playing to win using what will give you the best chance.
Why?
You have 9 or 8 or 7 balls left on the able and you have control of the table and control of the cue ball with ball in hand.
Why wouldn't you survey the table and assess if a run out is conceivable and what the odds were for you to run out or
should you go for the 3 foul?
A 3 foul win actually takes a lot of skill and knowledge.
Once again, the object of any pool game is to win the game, period, not necessarily to run out.
Safeties are an integral part of any rotation game.